1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicles, and more particularly to vehicles capable of traveling both on the ground and through the air.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Head, U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,649, describes a roadable helicopter that comprises of a vehicle that drives like a conventional car in its road configuration, and converts to fly like a helicopter in its flight configuration. The operator of the helicopter only needs to press a button to initiate the conversion from one configuration to the other. To facilitate the flight configuration, the helicopter is preferably equipped with a dual, coaxial counter-rotating rotor system to provide lift, propulsion, and control in the flight configuration. In the road configuration, however, the rotor system automatically folds into a rotor bay formed in the rear of the helicopter. The roadable helicopter may also include an automatic control/stability/navigation system that permits fully automatic flight.
David, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,335, describes a parafoil sail and a propeller propulsion system that are adapted to be fixed to the motorcycle for converting a motorcycle into a flying vehicle. The invention includes a clutching and declutching mechanism which, on control, drives either the driving wheel of the motorcycle or the propeller.
Groen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,844, describes an auto gyro containing a teetering semi-rigid rotary wing with rigid rotor blades. The angle of attack (blade pitch) of the rotor blades is fully adjustable in flight continuously over an operational range, and varies along the blade length. A pre-rotator rotates the rotor blades up to takeoff speed at minimum drag, no lift and optimum engine efficiency. Engine power is disconnected from the rotor blades and their angle of attack is changed for optimum lift to facilitate smooth vertical takeoff. Rotor blade pitch is likewise adjusted during vertical landing. In flight, rotor blade angle of attack is varied to adjust autorotation, lift and drag at any flight airspeed. On the ground, the rotary wing is braked to prevent rotation. The auto gyro may roll, pitch, or yaw, with complete independence of blade pitch with respect to all other relative motions. The pedals have disproportionate forward and backward motions. The auto gyro has retractable gear capable of fail-safe gear-up landing.
Bennie, U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,082, describes an auto gyro aircraft that includes rocket engines mounted on a warpable rotating wing for operating same in a helicopter mode. The engine and propeller are mounted on the fuselage for operation of the aircraft in an auto gyro mode. Cyclic and collective pitch controls operate through a swash plate, including a flexible membrane, which controls a movable servotab to cause aerodynamic warping of the wing. Thrust vector controls or spoilers are mounted aft of the rocket engines to control the effective thrust therefrom.
Prewitt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,247, teaches an aircraft that takes off as a helicopter, then the rotor pylon folds backwards so that the rotors function as the rear control surfaces of the aircraft. When ready to land, the rotors “spin up” as they function to brake the aircraft, and then the rotor pylon pivots back to an upright position so that the rotors can facilitate an auto gyro landing.
A. A. Blythe, U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,073, describes rotor devices for rotorcraft such as auto gyros, the rotor devices being uniquely suited for use in land or sea vehicles that incorporate a rotor device. The rotor devices are adapted to fold backwards downwardly, and are adapted to be stored in the body of the vehicle. The Blythe reference also discussed folding the rotors chord-wise over the rear of the vehicle.
W. L. Masterson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,563,731, describes a land, sea, and air plane wherein the rotor can be raised and lowered using a rack and pinion system.
Yanagisawa, U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,492 B1, describes a one-man helicopter that contains a drive transmission that transmits driving force to upper and lower rotors using first and second planet gear mechanisms provided with a common carrier. When the common carrier is rotated by a motor, a differential motion is generated between the two planet gear mechanisms. This results in the rotors being rotated at different velocities, which can be used to control yaw. A fore-and-aft swing mechanism and right-and-left swing mechanism depend from the lower end of a vertical shaft on which the rotors are supported. Moving a stick forward or backward, or to either side, tilts the vertical shaft in the same direction. When the stick is not subjected to a controlling force, the vertical shaft reverts automatically to its original vertical state. H. T. Pentecost, U.S. Pat. No. 2,461,348, describes another embodiment of a helicopter of the co-axial wing type.
N. B. Wales, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,427,936, describes an control mechanism for helicopters having co-axial counter-rotation rotors. The motor can be engaged through a transmission to either the rotors or to a road drive shaft for driving the vehicle.
Solheim, U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,017 B1, describes an aircraft rotatable airfoil assembly in the nature of a helicopter machine and having two airfoils diametrically disposed about an axis of rotation. Air baffles are mounted on the radially inner and radially outer ends of the airfoils and for blocking the vortices inherently generated by the orbiting of the airfoils. The baffles thereby avoid vortices which reduce the lift force on the aircraft by eliminating the air flow from under the airfoil to above the airfoil and around the airfoil inner and outer ends. The assembly can be included in an airliner or an automobile. The aircraft is arranged for vertical and horizontal flight.
L. J. Maltby, U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,271, describes landing gear for helicopters that includes a combined hydraulic actuator and shock absorber.
Fischer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,351, describes an airscrew for propelling an aircraft. The aircrew has a hub, a jacket and a plurality of propeller blades secured by blade necks to the hub. These blade necks are secured to the hub with symmetric or equal angular spacings around the hub between neighboring radial blade neck axes. Each propeller blade has a longitudinal axis. At least certain of these longitudinal blade axes extend at different sweep angles relative to the respective radial blade neck axis. When the sweep angle is positive the respective sweep of the blade is a positive sweepback with a trailing sweep of the respective blade relative to a rotational direction of the airscrew. When the sweep angle is negative the respective sweep of the blade is a negative sweep forward with a leading sweep of the respective blade relative to a rotational direction of the airscrew. These differing sweep angles achieve a substantial noise reduction compared to conventional airscrews having a completely symmetrical construction.
Haseloh et al., U.S. Des. 335,119, illustrates a particular design of a gyroplane.
The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.
The prior art teaches various flying vehicles; however, the prior art does not teach a flying vehicle having the advantages described below. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.